karen's chicken diary

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KarenE
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Re: karen's chicken diary

Post by KarenE »

Very stressful times for Dory Grey lately. We have a new cat who has moved in to our garden - Marley is rubbbish at defending her territory, and this is our neighbour's cat across the road. She's a beautiful and very friendly siamese cat, stunning blue eyes and very intelligent (they have 2 house cats who have figured out how to open the BACK DOOR!! and let themselves out. ) This cat is fascinated by our chickens, and I can't decide whether in a bad way or not. She seems to enjoy stalking them round the garden and usually one of them splits off. I came out of the garden to a right racket of clucking this week, and Dory Grey was sitting on top of the lower section of the run where she's never been before, having become seperated from Tiggs and Pokey, and looking very distressed. I brought her down and took the cat out of the garden, then sat in a chair to calm the girls down. Tiggs on one knee, Pokey on the other and Dory Grey flew up onto my arm and settled down. The cat appeared again. So there I am, chickens on both legs and Dory on my head by this stage, all clucking and me trying to chase the cat away with a foot whilst not moving off the chair. Pokey panicked and flew off and the cat followed her, so I picked Tiggs up, Dory still on my head, and chased the cat and Pokey around the garden. Honestly, what we must have looked like.

Eventually when I managed to coax Pokey back to me, I put Tiggs down and managed to get Dory off my head, and took the cat (who was rolling around in a very friendly manner) out of the garden again.

Yesterday exactly the same - hubby is having a ciggie on the back step, and suddenly the clucking starts. Tiggs and Pokey are up at the top of the garden, and for some reason Dory is on the patio and asking hubby if she can come into the utility room and safety, as the cat is sitting on the patio watching her. Hubby tells me he had to pick Dory up off the top of the wall, so now I'm paranoid that she's going to escape the garden in panic. I had to yet again carry the cat back home. As much as I don't want to, I think I'm going to have to water pistol this cat.

Dory was so panicked she wouldn't even eat the mealworms we gave to calm her down.

Honestly! It's exhausting! I have no idea what's been going on today as have been away all day, but at least all of them were snuggled up in bed when I checked on them earlier, so Dory hasn't scaled the wall and hopped over yet. I didn't know she could get so high!
Karen
Alpha chick to: Smudge, Matisse and Bluebell
Chief servant to Marley the cat
Remembering Weeps, Rexie, Sage, Cassie, Toffee, Captain Gabby, Commander Nugget, Ronnie, Juno, Special Poetry and Reading Casper, Tigger, Tophenanall Rembrandt, Chestnut, Tiddly, Willow, Mango, Coco, Dorian Grey and Pokey.
Also my lost furries Charlie and Jasper

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kitla
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Re: karen's chicken diary

Post by kitla »

naughty puss, siamese are quite a different kind of cat arent they! your water pistol sounds the best idea, or maybe this weekend you can throw snowballs at it!
"He who is cruel to animals becomes hard also in his dealings with men. We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals."
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Cheshire Chick
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Re: karen's chicken diary

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I bet the novelty of the chickens will wear off, in time. When our next door neighbours first moved in their cat was fascinated with the chickens and kept peering at them in their run. She is very used to them now and they are used to her as well. Rose and Vi seem to know their own cats (and the neighbourhood cats) and don't bat an eye. Our rescue cat, who had obviously never seen a chicken before in his life, used to run at them (they were safely in their run though) and they flapped a bit. Needless to say, they all know each other now. She sounds a very friendly cat, but if your girls are scared perhaps the water pistol is the answer.
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KarenE
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Re: karen's chicken diary

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Hubby hosed the cat this week, so hopefully that will help. It's such a pity because she's a lovely friendly thing but we can't have her thinking this is safe for her. We have to think of Marley too, who lready feels she can't be out in the garden without us being there too.

We've had a heavy snowfall overnight, and the silly girls won't come out. I dug out their door, but they won't even venture into the top part of their run because the snow has come in and covered the ground. So they'd restricted themselves to the tiny lower run. I'll try them again in a bit, especially as that is where their water is and I'm not sure they'd even been up there. No chicken prints in the snow, although there were cat paw prints running over the garden. Marley is spending a lot of time inside now the weather has turned colder, but she might have tiptoed out for a bit. If not her, it's either our Siamese visitor or George the big black cat.
Karen
Alpha chick to: Smudge, Matisse and Bluebell
Chief servant to Marley the cat
Remembering Weeps, Rexie, Sage, Cassie, Toffee, Captain Gabby, Commander Nugget, Ronnie, Juno, Special Poetry and Reading Casper, Tigger, Tophenanall Rembrandt, Chestnut, Tiddly, Willow, Mango, Coco, Dorian Grey and Pokey.
Also my lost furries Charlie and Jasper
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KarenE
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Re: karen's chicken diary

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After a slippy-slidey drive to the Asda, I checked on the girls again and desperation had forced them up into the top run where they had left massive chicken claw prints in the snow before perching on their branch. I opened their door and Pokey hurled herself out and had a good trample around in the snow. Dory and Tiddly only came out when I chucked some corn in the doorway. Pokey followed me into the greenhouse and sat on my knee for a while, but Dory and Tiggs went back in. So it looks like Pokey is the Great Arctic Explorer and D & T are the massive wusses :-D
Karen
Alpha chick to: Smudge, Matisse and Bluebell
Chief servant to Marley the cat
Remembering Weeps, Rexie, Sage, Cassie, Toffee, Captain Gabby, Commander Nugget, Ronnie, Juno, Special Poetry and Reading Casper, Tigger, Tophenanall Rembrandt, Chestnut, Tiddly, Willow, Mango, Coco, Dorian Grey and Pokey.
Also my lost furries Charlie and Jasper
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KarenE
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Re: karen's chicken diary

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.sn< Tiddly eventually put her artic explorer clothes on and ventured out, so Tiggs and Pokey have been out and about in the snow and keeping me company in the greenhouse. Tiggs felt so cold I had to give her big cuddles yesterday, but when she eyed up my head I decided she was warm enough. My head has become premium real estate. Dory Grey has been the wussiest and won't step on any white stuff, so has left herself confined to her run apart from yeserday when she somehow found her way in to the greenhouse with the others. She wouldn't go back via snow though, and after me trying to chase her in ended up flying across the garden!

The snow's mostly melted today, although lots of big patches still around and ice too, so they've all been out enjoying the green grass again. Dory is still refusing to step on the snow but luckily she has enough crazy paving grass to walk on.

Marley also is showing great reluctance for going out, so is spending most of her time snoozing either next to me on the sofa or mostly upstairs on our bed. {hug}
Karen
Alpha chick to: Smudge, Matisse and Bluebell
Chief servant to Marley the cat
Remembering Weeps, Rexie, Sage, Cassie, Toffee, Captain Gabby, Commander Nugget, Ronnie, Juno, Special Poetry and Reading Casper, Tigger, Tophenanall Rembrandt, Chestnut, Tiddly, Willow, Mango, Coco, Dorian Grey and Pokey.
Also my lost furries Charlie and Jasper
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kitla
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Re: karen's chicken diary

Post by kitla »

Karen what are you doing in the greenhouse in December? :? Or is it just the warmest spot in the garden!
"He who is cruel to animals becomes hard also in his dealings with men. We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals."
--Immanuel Kant
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KarenE
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Re: karen's chicken diary

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Ha ha Kitty, yes it blooming well is! .sn< And it's got diggable soil for the girls to scratch around in, and a chair for me to sit on. And a bag of Garvos :-D
Karen
Alpha chick to: Smudge, Matisse and Bluebell
Chief servant to Marley the cat
Remembering Weeps, Rexie, Sage, Cassie, Toffee, Captain Gabby, Commander Nugget, Ronnie, Juno, Special Poetry and Reading Casper, Tigger, Tophenanall Rembrandt, Chestnut, Tiddly, Willow, Mango, Coco, Dorian Grey and Pokey.
Also my lost furries Charlie and Jasper
Cheshire Chick
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Re: karen's chicken diary

Post by Cheshire Chick »

I to was wondering what you were doing in the greenhouse in December!!?? Sounds like it is a good place though at the moment for the girls and you, especially with Garvos and it means you can still spend some quality time with your ladies. I wrapped up yesterday and let my two boy cats out in the garden (they are house cats and come out with us). They took one sniff of the cold air and ran straight back in to the nearest radiator. My little female cat is so small in comparison to the boys, but she has got so much more bottle (and attitude). She is quite happy to still have her play time in the garden.
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KarenE
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Re: karen's chicken diary

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Hope everyone is having a good Christmas >tree<

I haven't managed to spend a great deal of time with the girls, as we've had guests the whole time and continue to do so. So they are being neglected something shocking, and now what with the snow that landed a few days ago, they are beside themselves. They absolutely hate it, especially Dory who refuses to come out of the run. Tiggs and Pokey went for a little explore around the garden yesterday, I found them hugging the tiny bits of path that were clear of snow, and then Tiggs followed me into the greenhouse where she had a nice perch (on me) and a few lovely digs and garvos. Dory meanwhile stayed in the run and glared angrily at us through the window. Pokey foolishly went back into the run and then was desperately trying to hurl herself through the wire to get into the greenhouse, not realising there is a window in the way. I don't know why she didn't come out of the run, silly girl, but every time she hurled herself against the wire Dory would peck her. Not the happiest times, except for Tiggs of course who was in her element )x(

Christmas dinner minus turkey and gravy of course, was had by all on boxing day. Sadly no christmas pud this time, as that was all scoffed! )x6(

We ourselves are stuffed full of turkey - possibly I bought one which was far too large, as we have been eating leftovers since christmas day! Not to mention the amount of choccies we are putting away. And prosecco. Diets come the new year, which is going to be really hard...
Karen
Alpha chick to: Smudge, Matisse and Bluebell
Chief servant to Marley the cat
Remembering Weeps, Rexie, Sage, Cassie, Toffee, Captain Gabby, Commander Nugget, Ronnie, Juno, Special Poetry and Reading Casper, Tigger, Tophenanall Rembrandt, Chestnut, Tiddly, Willow, Mango, Coco, Dorian Grey and Pokey.
Also my lost furries Charlie and Jasper
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KarenE
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Re: karen's chicken diary

Post by KarenE »

Marley related news this time. Marley has found it hard over this christmas, as we have had guests the whole time and as we know she really doesn't like strangers, or even people she knows! So she has made herself scarce and done her usual disappearing act - we were starting to get a bit worried, as it had been 3 days yesterday and no sign of her. More worryingly, George the big black cat had been hanging around our back door a lot and I even caught him trying to get in the cat flap! He had a bucket of water chucked at him. So we were worried that he was chasing her off. Anyway, I went out last night up and down the road and eventually she popped out of hiding and came in - except as I was going through the front door she ducked under the back gate and George showed up and scared her off again!

Eventually I managed to entice her in with some Dreamies. Thank god for dreamies, and thank god she recognises the packet rattling. She must have been starving, cos she wolfed 3 full packets of cat food down and then settled on our bed.

Long story short, she was limping, not putting any weight on what looked like a very swollen paw so she's been off to the vet today and yes, it looks like George has caught her again on her elbow, and there's an abcess forming in her paw. {mr.angry}

She's had an ab injection - marvellous thing if it works, as it's the full 14 day course in 1 injection. And metacam too. We're going to keep her in for as long as we can. Poor Marley, and damn this bloody George! This is 3 times now! }hairout{ If I wasn't so peaceful & law abiding, I'll get a bloody airgun out...

Girls are fine. Tiggs is slowing down, bless her, and looking her age. I have a horrible feeling she's at the start of her last journey. There's nothing particular wrong with her, and she's eating okay and haring round the garden but she just has that 'look' about her, that we all know.
Karen
Alpha chick to: Smudge, Matisse and Bluebell
Chief servant to Marley the cat
Remembering Weeps, Rexie, Sage, Cassie, Toffee, Captain Gabby, Commander Nugget, Ronnie, Juno, Special Poetry and Reading Casper, Tigger, Tophenanall Rembrandt, Chestnut, Tiddly, Willow, Mango, Coco, Dorian Grey and Pokey.
Also my lost furries Charlie and Jasper
Cheshire Chick
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Re: karen's chicken diary

Post by Cheshire Chick »

Hi Karen, so sorry to hear that poor Marley has been in the wars ... again. I'm a cat lover to but I would feel the same as you towards that George. Two of our cats will not come out of their hiding places if we have visitors, whether they know them or not. I am still have problems with our rescue cat chasing my little female - trying plug in Pet Remedy now as opposed to Feliway. It is difficult as our cats are house cats (although they do go out in the garden with us daily). We live on a busy road and I can't take the chance of them getting injured. Hope the antibiotic injection kicks in and Marley feels better. I would be very tempted to keep her as a house cat, although I know it sounds unfair and she has as much right to wander as that big bad cat. Glad your chooks are OK - although you did mention Tiggs slowing down and yes, I know exactly what you mean there.
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KarenE
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Re: karen's chicken diary

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A neighbour - before she knew about the latest with Marley - was talking to the owners about George the bully cat and they admitted he was a bully. Apparently he is terrorising their dogs, and they are big dogs! They said 'what can we do?' in a resigned fashion. I don't know what our neighbour said but I'm afraid I'd have suggested rehoming him. We are convinced he's been hanging round the back door stopping Marley from coming in

She is absolutely fine. The miracle injection ab seems to have worked (fingers & paws crossed) and even better, she seems absolutely delighted to be confined to the house, and has spent all her days snoozing on our bed, on the sofa, the landing carpet and the windowsill downstairs. I've tried her with the cat bed but of course it will kill her if she goes near it, as will the cushion we put in front of the fire for her. When not snoozing, she plays with her mousie, which is a little blue cloth mouse of Jaspers that she adores. Sadly she's bitten the tail off it so I'll have to see if I can sew it back on. She's even warmed up slightly - very slightly - to hubby. She shows virtually no interest in going outside - I wonder if it holds horrible associations now?

The girls are fine, and in fact we had a deep clean of their coop on Sunday. Well, we had to smarten the place up as their daddy has built them a marvellous new roosting bar set, as we had both noticed Dory Grey and Pokey awkwardly trying to perch on the side of their nestbox (which is half a cat carrying basket so not good to grip). We did loads of research and made sure to build the actual roost to the specifications recommended, and the first night all 3 of them happily snoozed on it! We were delighted, so decided to build another today. Tonight Pokes perches on the proper (highest) roost and Tiggs and Dory Grey STILL TRY TO ROOST ON THE SIDE!!! Honestly. }hairout{

Picture of their new des res:
Image
You can see it's a cunning box-style design which makes them completely portable and flexible. Perfect!

Tiggs still worries me. She's happily running round and eating, especially snacks, but is very puffed up and definitely slower. She feels fine underneath. Pokey has been squaring up to her and even had a bit of a go at her the other day, which is a sign she's not at her best. A couple of feathers have appeared but not many and I can't believe she's moulting still. She put Pokey in her place again but she's definitely not 100% bless her.
Karen
Alpha chick to: Smudge, Matisse and Bluebell
Chief servant to Marley the cat
Remembering Weeps, Rexie, Sage, Cassie, Toffee, Captain Gabby, Commander Nugget, Ronnie, Juno, Special Poetry and Reading Casper, Tigger, Tophenanall Rembrandt, Chestnut, Tiddly, Willow, Mango, Coco, Dorian Grey and Pokey.
Also my lost furries Charlie and Jasper
Cheshire Chick
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Re: karen's chicken diary

Post by Cheshire Chick »

Glad to hear that Marley is doing well - I do always feel that they are safer in the house. Years ago I would not have dreamt of keeping a cat in, but situations and times have changed and to be honest our 3 (even rescued street cat) have made very good house cats and seem perfectly happy. Our house is very cat friendly - full of tunnels, boxes, scratching poles, toys, beds etc - Oh and yes, just enough room for Hubby and me. The girls des res sleeping arrangements look great - a very good job.
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kitla
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Re: karen's chicken diary

Post by kitla »

Yes I agree, perhaps Marley would be better off as an indoor puss. He's had his fair share of unfortunate adventures! Is mean cat neutered? I read somewhere that if you attack the visiting cat with a water pistol you should hide yourself first, then it's more likely to avoid your garden rather than just avoiding you.
That's a nice clean pad your chooks have! Is it still like that now?!
"He who is cruel to animals becomes hard also in his dealings with men. We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals."
--Immanuel Kant

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